Arcade: Summer the time for downloadable games

Bastion is the first Summer of Arcade title (it lands August 20). The game is narrated dynamically depending on your actions.

The sun is shining, the beaches are hot and the beer is cold. Summer is well and truly upon us and sweet mother of all that’s holy is it a sweaty, wedgie-inducing mess. Fortunately, if you’re a gamer, there’s never been a better time to shun the outside world and retreat to the Gollum-like air conditioned sanctuary of your living room.

Xbox’s much-touted annual “Summer of Arcade” in particular, offers a slew of new downloadable games that make it easy to avoid the sun and work on that pasty white complexion while mashing a few buttons at the same time. It helps that the titles being released over Xbox LIVE Arcade in the coming weeks look to be a perfect example of the increasing sophistication and high production values of downloadable games, many of which are now as polished as their larger full-retail counterparts. A preview of what’s coming:

Bastion

Have you ever wondered how much more awesome your life would be if you had your very own private narrator? Look no further than Bastion, a quirky action-RPG from developers Supergiant Games. Players take on the role of “The Kid,” a lone hero in a colourful, anime-style world which forms around you as you explore. Of course, you’re not quite alone, as in addition to the countless enemies scattered throughout the game, you’re also accompanied by an omniscient narrator who provides a running on-the-fly commentary with a silky smooth voice over. As an action RPG, Bastion‘s demo at this year’s E3 looked polished, with a solid blend of hack n’ slash, exploration and loot collecting. It’s the game’s intriguing narrative, however, that might just elevate Bastion on the summer gaming to-do list… Read more [via nationalpost]